libraries', librarians' future
Barbara Payne
I'm looking for opinions: Now that we can access information, including
standard reference materials, online, do you think that libraries as we have
known them have a future? Are libraries still viable? Or are they just
warehouses for fiction? Does the public, the school, the academic library
still have a use? And librarians--perhaps we should all retrain for something
else? Or perhaps we should all become information specialists? What should
an adult services librarian do? What should a children's librarian do? What
do you think?
Bill Floyd 2689
In article <27525119...@oui.com> Barbar...@oui.com (Barbara Payne) writes:
>Path: news.unt.edu!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.kei.com!news.texas.net!newshost.comco.com!news.tamu.edu!news.utdallas.edu!news.starnet.net!ultramac!Barbara_Payne
>From: Barbar...@oui.com (Barbara Payne)
>Reply-To: Barbar...@oui.com
>Newsgroups: k12.chat.teacher
>Distribution: world
>Subject: libraries', librarians' future
>Date: 01 Jul 1996 16:14:48 GMT
>Message-ID: <27525119...@oui.com>
>Organization: Odyssey Ultraware Inc.
>Lines: 8
This has been in relatively constant debate for over 30 years. Libraries are
always going to be replaced by something! And it hasn't happened yet. I had
some of my more violent debates with library automation faculty over 25 years
ago that the equipment wouldn't perform as the instructors expected, nor would
it be cost effective. It may seem strange but there were a number of
automeation, i.e. computer, courses taught 30 years ago. The past years have
vindicated my position.
There is on line access to information, well some information. Full text is
not widely available and the cost of accessing even the information that is on
line is beyond what most school districts can even consideder for far future
plans. Some costs will be reduced in the future but other costs may take their
place. In addition, there still has to be someone to make sense out of the
information secured from on line sources.
School libraries will be a fact of life for many years to come. The duties of
librarians may change and become much more computer based but there will still
be books, because there will still be reading assignments.
Retraining, or better continual training, should be a way of life for
Librarians. Going back to school for some IS classes might be a good idea.
Also, any computer program related training should be considered, such as
developing minimum proficiency in several word processing programs, sevral
spread sheet programs, several presentation software programs, and several
data base management programs. Not to mention being able to handle both PC
technology and Apple technology wtih ease
For any Adult Services Librarian; quit worrying about having a job and lay the
groundwork to assist the general adult population in discovering the
informationthat they need on line. There will always be a large group of
people who can't afford a personal, or even family, PC. Libraries, kboth
public and school, will have to serve as access points. And NO, I don't think
that the Post Office will do a very good job of this. When you sit and listen
to a reverence librarian talk someone through setting up their computer,
attached to a remote LAN, so that it will print form an even more remote data
source, you get the idea that Librarians probably have a reasonable secure
future.
For Childrens Librarians, or School Librarians at all levels, attend every
training session you can discover relating to computer applications and new
sources of Media. There ia a wonderful amount of very good, to great,
programming that can be downloaded directly to educational and non-profit
agencies. The librarians should be in the vanguard pushing for expanding
sources of information to assist teachers and administrators in schools and
other public institutions. In this part of the world, and we are talking a
town with two ALA accredited library schools and two colleges of education,
many of the working librarians and teachers I talk to have no idea of the
array of supplimentary materials that are easily availale for very little
cost. If a school district with 500 kids, and very little in tax base, can
afford some of these hook ups and down links, you can't be talking about vast
sums of money.
In academic libraries, and I work in one with over 120 CD products currently
on line and growing monthly. Patrons can go from our work stations to OCLC
First Search, CARL, full text data bases housed in Austin, TX, the catalogs of
a dozen libraries, including LC. It is relatively seamless but Librarians are
still needed to advise, instruct, demonstrate, and assist. In some ways we
have a heavier work load than in hte past.
YES, things are changing, and changing very rapidly, but this presents
opportunities instead of threats. Examine what your greatest strengths are and
build on those. Spend your time and energy devising ways to improve your
knowledge, your abilities, the local system, etc. instead of fretting over
fears that may never come to pass. Those that have said that Librarianship,
and Libraries, are dead will live to eat tehir words, just as they have done
in the past.
Bill Floyd.
jul
Barbar...@oui.com (Barbara Payne) wrote:
>I'm looking for opinions: Now that we can access information, including
>standard reference materials, online, do you think that libraries as we have
>known them have a future? Are libraries still viable? Or are they just
>warehouses for fiction? Does the public, the school, the academic library
>still have a use? And librarians--perhaps we should all retrain for something
>else? Or perhaps we should all become information specialists? What should
>an adult services librarian do? What should a children's librarian do? What
>do you think?
I think libraries and librarians will always be around. I hope so
anyway:) No matter how advanced online resources become, we will need
an "expert" guide to organize, administer and teach.
Besides that, many librarians go beyond what we typically call library
tasks, eg. story reading, community activities, school club &
committee tasks, etc.
jul
Gerald M. Seftor
Barbar...@oui.com (Barbara Payne) wrote:
>I'm looking for opinions: Now that we can access information, including
>standard reference materials, online, do you think that libraries as we have
>known them have a future? Are libraries still viable? Or are they just
>warehouses for fiction? Does the public, the school, the academic library
>still have a use? And librarians--perhaps we should all retrain for something
>else? Or perhaps we should all become information specialists? What should
>an adult services librarian do? What should a children's librarian do? What
>do you think?
I have asked the school librarian just that question. She says that
her library will remain. I cannot see oneself tucked up in bed with a
PC as a reading companion. I also believe ,rightly or wrongly that
"looking up" on a computer is not as worthwhile as doing so in a
library of books. While I am aware that computers are part of our new
world, I am bothered that ,especially in schools, too much reliance is
placed on them "to teach": rather than as a teaching tool. Of course I
am at odds with all my adult sons who are thoroughly entrenched in the
"beasties" and use them in their daily work and research.
I, for one, still have a place in school as a tutor for those kids who
"still don't make it" without personal help.
One confused "old guy"--signed --Accie.